SYPHILIS BACILLUS. 313 
what improbable assumption that the bacilli here 
present have become attenuated or have died. The 
finding of saprophytic bacilli—the so-called smegma 
bacilli—(Fig. 39 and Plate I., Fig. 4), almost identical 
Fia. 89. 
Smegma bacilli, similar in appearance to syphilis bacilli. x 1000 diam. 
morphologically with the bacillus of Lustgarten, under 
the prepuce of healthy persons, does not prove the 
identity of the two bacilli, though in the absence of 
cultures and inoculation experiments we have not the 
means of establishing their relationship to one another. 
The smegma bacilli have never been identified in other 
parts of the body except in the neighborhood of the 
genitals. While the bacillus of Lustgarten cannot 
resist the prolonged decolorizing action of acids, but 
is resistant to the action of alcohol, the smegma ba- 
cillus, when stained, is quickly decolorized by alcohol, 
but quite resistant to 5 per cent. sulphuric acid solution. 
Beside, the syphilis bacillus has been found in papules, 
in gummata, and other syphilomata where there seems 
no probability whatever of the smegma bacillus having 
emigrated. Baumgarten, who has searched in vain for 
Lustgarten’s bacillus in uncomplicated visceral syphilo- 
